What kind of year have you had?

[CliffH]

Yeah he was on the autistic spectrum, and collecting was his thing. It was really hard mentally to clear his stuff, because it was him. But I needed to do it for my mum. And yes I’ve already got rid of loads of our stuff because I don’t want my kids to have to do this

I've still got some (very large!) signed prints that my dad bought of his beloved Sussex coast: again, they were probably expensive for him to buy but a real pain to sell. I think it's a good idea to divest oneself of as many material things as possible (including money) before one dies!

 

[Lucyr]

I’m not really sure how to answer this, for sure it was a tough year. It started with being summoned up to family to say goodbye to my dad before it was too late. Then plot twist after plot twist followed that and he’s miraculously still here. Once again I proved my CPR skills are good on him in June, in a remote lay-by in the Yorkshire Dales, and gave him at least another 6 months from that point, maybe even a little longer.

I had a scary but enjoyable holiday, played in some great concerts, finally got my medical records to acknowledge that I have T1 not T2 and did the T1 course. Of course I lost the full use of my right arm for 3+ months now, not sure I’ll ever fully recover that and so learnt to play my instruments left handed.

So, let’s stick with mixed.

 

[CliffH]

I’m not really sure how to answer this, for sure it was a tough year. It started with being summoned up to family to say goodbye to my dad before it was too late. Then plot twist after plot twist followed that and he’s miraculously still here. Once again I proved my CPR skills are good on him in June, in a remote lay-by in the Yorkshire Dales, and gave him at least another 6 months from that point, maybe even a little longer.

I had a scary but enjoyable holiday, played in some great concerts, finally got my medical records to acknowledge that I have T1 not T2 and did the T1 course. Of course I lost the full use of my right arm for 3+ months now, not sure I’ll ever fully recover that and so learnt to play my instruments left handed.

So, let’s stick with mixed.

Wow! I can't believe how resilient you are - and still you've found the time to give lots of people on here (including me) valuable advice

 

[goodybags]

Great idea for a thread @gail2, sounds like you’ve had quite a year yourself

Me, as a few people might’ve noticed, I’m always trying to stay optimistic
so I will say 2024 was a good year, despite
way to much stress / anxiety work - which came to a head & induced a mini MH meltdown back in the summer 🙄

However as we approach Christmas I’m H-A-P-P-Y because:
HbA1c is back down
Ok so I got it down a few years ago - but then my meds had to change and it shot up
I’m now taking about half the amount of Insulin that I was 6 months ago.

I’ve reduced my BMI considerably

I did a 12 week healthy eating & exercise program this summer (I’ve never done anything like that before)

I’ve now got far better communication with my both my GP, my DSN & I’m even in contact with a Diabetic constant (Endocrinologist at NGH)

I was successful 6 months ago in getting NHS funded CGM, for me this really has helped me understand how Diabetes effects me, plus with one less worry can usually get a decent nights sleep without the anxiety of thinking what if I have a nighttime hypo

I’ve had it confirmed that my Kidney function is normal (need to check if they know has my fatty liver also gone back to being healthy)

Discovered some of the reasons , I struggled all those years ago at school & most of my life
looks like I'm both Dyslexic and also have Dyscalculia (so have joined a Neurodiverse awareness group online with my work)

Only slight hiccup really is the current problem in my right eye - but I’ve got a date for the necessary surgery at John Radcliffe in a fortnights time

Sending a Big Thank You to everyone on the forum that has helped me

 

[silver minion]

Nice to know that you feel your year is ending on a high note Gail and you are looking forward to 2025.
My year has had ups and downs like most people I suppose. Health wise not great. Firstly the diabetes, but I am coming to terms with it now. Hubby's AF has not been good thus year. Several ambulance trips to A&E. The garden is looking so much better. Lots of hard work but we now have a polytunnel, 3 large veg beds, a fruit cage, some chickens and bees. Bumper harvest of plums, apples, tomatoes and berries. A bonus harvest of honey, only 4 jars and already given to family and friends. Lost my cat Mindy to a car collision.
Have made some good friends this year although I am new to the area. Also found this forum in August and got so much help and support from all you kind people.
Catching up with friends and family over Christmas and New Year. 2025 we will get our state pensions. Growing older but refuse to grow up. My mind still thinks I am 25 even though my body tells me otherwise. Working on being a disgraceful old lady pensioner for as long as I can!

---

 

[Leadinglights]

I had a similar experience with my dad when he died a few years ago. He was very proud of his collection of TE Lawrence first editions, some of which he'd paid hundreds of pounds for: he regarded them as an investment. However, when he died (suddenly) I had to empty his flat quickly, which meant that I could only take one carload of stuff to my house. The rest (including some very nice furniture) I had to pay a 'home removal' service to take to landfill. I tried selling the books on eBay but got very little for them compared to what my dad had paid - and I ended up taking most of them to a charity shop, rather than going to the trouble of packing up and posting them to eBay byers for just a few pounds.

This made me realise that I don't want to leave anyone with the stress of trying to dispose of my 'treasures' after I die - and possibly feeling guilty for not getting much money for them. I collect Victorian bottles and so I started selling the valuable ones on eBay: everyone in my family knows that the remaining ones aren't valuable, so it doesn't matter if they go in the glass recycling box when I die.

I think it is a pity that the charity Emmaus don't advertise more that they take furniture and other goods. They are a charity supporting the homeless rebuilding their lives.
It has always been second hand furniture has never been worth much unless of course it is seriously antique.
Even charity shops seem quite picky on what they will take, I have some picture frames in good condition but they said they wouldn't take them as they don't sell.

 

[Chris Hobson]

On charity shops being choosy. I understand why, stuff that can't be sold actually costs money to dispose of. The biggest surprise for me was an orthopedic bed. It was in full working order and in excellent condition except that it needed a new mattress. The mattresses for these are a little expensive because they have to be flexible, but unless we shelled out for one first, we couldn't give it away. The things are really expensive so it was a shame, the mechanism went to the tip but I did re-use some of the timber.

 

[CliffH]

On charity shops being choosy. I understand why, stuff that can't be sold actually costs money to dispose of. The biggest surprise for me was an orthopedic bed. It was in full working order and in excellent condition except that it needed a new mattress. The mattresses for these are a little expensive because they have to be flexible, but unless we shelled out for one first, we couldn't give it away. The things are really expensive so it was a shame, the mechanism went to the tip but I did re-use some of the timber.

My dad lived in Eastbourne when he died: a town full of well-off older people, who presumably all die leaving behind nice furniture! I gave up ringing charity shops when I was trying to give away his furniture, after the first couple of shops refused to even look at photos of it.

It was a similar story when my mum's mother died years ago. Naively I thought that her lovely dining table would be wanted by antique shops, so I took a photo of it to a few shops: one glance at the photo was enough for them all to reject it out of hand. Luckily, though, I now use it as a dining table. However, my mum's house is full of other (very nice) old furniture of her mother's that clearly has no monetary value now, even though it would have been expensive when she bought it.